Page:Sermons for all the Sundays in the year.djvu/253

 forgiveness. "The Lord your God is merciful, and will not turn away his face from you if you return to him." (2 Par. xxx. 9.) God cannot turn away his face from those who cast themselves at his feet with an humble and contrite heart. Jesus himself has protested that he will not reject any one who returns to him. "And him that cometh to me, I will not cast out." (John vi. 37.) But how can he reject those whom he himself invites to return, and promises to embrace? ” Return to me, saith the Lord, and I will receive thee." (Jer. iii. 1.) In another place he says: Sinners, I ought to turn my back on you, because you first turned your back on me; but be converted to me, and I will be converted to you. "Turn to me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn to you, saith the Lord of hosts." (Zach. i. 3.) 9. Oh! with what tenderness does God embrace a sinner that returns to him! This tenderness Jesus Christ wished to declare to us when he said that he is the good pastor, who, as soon as he finds the lost sheep, embraces it and places it on his own shoulders. ” And when he hath found it, doth he not lay it upon his shoulders rejoicing?" (Luke xv. 5.) This tenderness also appears in the parable of the prodigal son, in which Jesus Christ tells us that he is the good father, who, when his lost son returns, goes to meet him, embraces and kisses him, and, as it were, swoons away through joy in receiving him. ” And running to him, he fell upon his neck and kissed him." (Luke xv. 20.) 10. God protests that when sinners repent of their iniquities, he will forget all their sins, as if they had never offended him. "But, if the wicked do penance for all the sins which he hath committed. .. .living, he shall live, and shall not die. I will not remember all his iniquities that he hath done." (Ezech. xviii. 21,22.) By the Prophet Isaias, the Lord goes so far as to say: "Come and accuse me, saith the Lord. If your sins be as scarlet, they shall be made white as snow." (Isa. i. 18.) Mark the words, Come and accuse me. As if the Lord said: Sinners, come to me, and if I do not pardon and embrace you, reprove me, upbraid me with violating my promise. But no! God cannot despise an humble